WDNY Local News, Tuesday, May 14, 2019

There is a new superintendent in a Livingston County School district. The Geneseo School Board has picked Cindy Flowers, who will move up from her job as Special Education Administrator in the District. The board says Flowers was the unanimous choice for superintendent because of her knowledge of the district and her commitment to its schools and community. Flowers will replace current superintendent Timothy Hayes, who is retiring at the end of June after 13 years in that position. Hayes says his replacement is well qualified to lead the district—and that he is leaving the position in good hands.

Livingston County officials say owners and operators of short term vacation properties need to keep occupancy laws in mind as they prepare for the summer season. Those laws include the collection of the county Occupancy tax—which officials say will be strictly enforced. Administrator Ian Coyle says he expects more tourists than ever will stay in the county—and those who rent to them should know and follow the rules.

Workers are putting the final touches on the trees and bushes at Linwood Gardens in Linwood for the annual Tree Peony Festival. The three-weekend festival starts on Saturday and Sunday at the garden on York Road West and continues on May 25th and 26th and on June 1 and 2nd. The hours are from 9:00 to 4:00. The cool, wet spring means the Tree Peonies won’t be in bloom the first weekend, but the garden says the redbud trees, tulips, and many hues of early foliage will be. This is the 22nd year those spring flowers have been in the spotlight. The website for more information is linwoodgardens.org.

Meanwhile, another flower-themed festival returns today. The Lilac Festival in Rochester was rained out on Monday, but organizers say the forecast is better, so the festival starts again at noon. It’s still too wet to park in the grass lots though but paved parking spots will be available.

Click it or ticket—in the back seat? That could become the law in New York. The state Senate will vote this week on a bill that would require adults riding in the back to buckle up, Current law says only front seat riders that have to. Governor Cuomo had the proposal in his budget but it wasn’t included when the budget passed. Now though, lawmakers could make back-seat belting the law by the end of their session next month.

It could be up to a court to decide if the music will play at the Woodstock 50th Anniversary concert planned for August in Watkins Glen. The organizers of the show are fighting with a group of investors who fronted 18 million dollars for the event but later took it back. The money people say the show people were incompetent, but the show people say a deal is a deal and that the money should be returned. The State Supreme Court is hearing the case. As of now, several big-name acts from rap to rock to country are booked for the anniversary show which is scheduled 50 years to the day of the original Woodstock in 1969.